{"id":14732,"date":"2018-01-03T16:25:26","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T16:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/?p=14732"},"modified":"2018-01-03T16:26:16","modified_gmt":"2018-01-03T16:26:16","slug":"the-real-ammo-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/the-real-ammo-guy\/","title":{"rendered":"The REAL Ammo Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

The guns, gear, and gadgets\u00a0will all fawn over are interesting, but the real\u00a0stories – the good stories – are always about people. Those are also the\u00a0stories I\u00a0like to write the most.\u00a0Here is one direct from the pages of the January 2018 issue of Gun Digest<\/a>\u00a0magazine. For those who may not know, I write\u00a0the handgun\u00a0column for\u00a0Gun\u00a0Digest<\/a> and generally\u00a0contribute a\u00a0feature each month. Under the new editorship of Luke Hartle – yes, he is a yankee, but I\u00a0think\u00a0there’s enough redneck in him to balance it out – Gun Digest<\/a> is becoming an excellent version of a modern firearms periodical. I’d suggest you\u00a0check it out.\u00a0<\/i>You can subscribe HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The old man shuffled to a cabinet on feet that\u2019d carried him for almost 80 years. He grinned, leaned close enough I could smell cows, corn, and diesel, and said, \u201cThis here\u2019s the good <\/em>drawer.\u201d It contained a hoard of shot shells. He picked up a candy stripped example, handed it to me, and said, \u201cThis\u2019ns worth five hundred dollars.\u201d Marv had my attention.<\/p>\n

Marvin \u201cMarv\u201d Briegel worked hard all his life, but the only paycheck he ever received was during his three years in the Army. Marv is a farmer, always has been, always will be. He\u2019s damn proud of it too, because he knows it\u2019s a profession too good for most. Marv’s also a hunter. On his farm along Nebraska\u2019s Republican river he once used a 270 Winchester to put a Boone & Crocket whitetail on his wall. That wall, by the way, is in a vault that\u2019s part of Marv\u2019s otherwise inconspicuous farmhouse.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Inside it\u2019s the Marv Show, and it starts with a four-bore shotgun. \u201cI ant shooting that!\u201d I said. Marv grinned, \u201cI ant letting ya.\u201d Then there are the near dozen lesser gauges, Herter\u2019s rifles, and an example of every Knight muzzleloader made. But the Marv Show is mostly about cartridges. I spent hours fingering through drawers of paper-patched cartridges, all-brass shot shells, and other munitions I\u2019d never seen, all while Marv gave John Madden-like color commentary. \u201cNow here\u2019s a shell you don\u2019t see often. I got that\u2019n from an old boy in Oklahoma. That\u2019s a window shell. You know what a window shell is?\u201d<\/p>\n

As editor of Gun Digest\u2019s 13th Edition of Cartridges of the World<\/a>, I\u2019m sometimes referred to as the, \u201cammo guy.\u201d Amazingly, while deer hunting in the no-stop-light town of Arapahoe, Nebraska, I\u2019d uncovered a physical manifestation of the encyclopedia I\u2019d worked so hard to publish. Historical cartridge collecting is a niche but serious endeavor. Marv\u2019s passion likely exceeds that of Trump voters and, yes, even turkey hunters. He\u2019s even been to Germany to scavange ammunition antiquities.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I asked how a fellow might start cartridge collecting. Marv said, \u201cMy first was a 45\/100 Pacific Ballard,\u201d Nudging me with his elbow, \u201cbut rimfire cartridge boxes are where a guy should start. They\u2019re affordable and easy to find. Just make sure they\u2019re full\u201d<\/p>\n

But most of Marv\u2019s collection is shot shell related and I asked why. \u201cWith shot shells the information is printed on them, and it matches what\u2019s on the box. It\u2019ll tell you gauge, shot size, and so on. With rifle and pistol cartridges all you got\u2019s the head stamp and no idea bout much else.\u201d Then, with the intensity of a stock trader sharing his first inside tip, Marv leaned in, looked around like, to see if anyone was watching, and whispered, \u201cRobin Hood. Any Robin Hood shot shell is good and the boxes are better-n gold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I left Marv a signed copy of Cartridges of the World<\/strong> and a .25 caliber wildcat cartridge I\u2019d based on the 6.5 Creedmoor. Marv gave me something a bit different; a little, but well endowed, bobble-girl off the dash of his – dirtier on the inside than outside – pickup truck.<\/p>\n

Passing through the vault door I looked back and Marv was fondling the cartridge I\u2019d given him. He\u2019ll put it in a drawer and someday show it to some guy like me. The bobble-girl? She\u2019ll go on the dashboard of my<\/em> truck, just to remind me who the real <\/em>ammo guy is. I named her Casey<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The guns, gear, and gadgets\u00a0will all fawn over are interesting, but the real\u00a0stories – the good stories – are always about people. Those are also the\u00a0stories I\u00a0like to write the most.\u00a0Here is one direct from the pages of the January 2018 issue of Gun Digest\u00a0magazine. For those who may not know, I write\u00a0the handgun\u00a0column for\u00a0Gun\u00a0Digest and generally\u00a0contribute a\u00a0feature each month. Under the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2509,2579,2522,2500],"tags":[630,2775,1003,2730,2776],"class_list":["post-14732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-defense","category-editorial","category-hunt","category-shooting","tag-ammunition","tag-ammunition-collecting","tag-cartridges-of-the-world","tag-shooting","tag-shot-shells"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5hujZ-3PC","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15504,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/hardball\/","url_meta":{"origin":14732,"position":0},"title":"Hardball","author":"gunwriter","date":"March 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Hardball - full metal jacket - handgun ammunition gets no respect. Maybe it should. Hardball ammo has done a lot of good things over the years - like win two world wars. To read the full article click HERE \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Hardball.jpg?fit=1021%2C660&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Hardball.jpg?fit=1021%2C660&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Hardball.jpg?fit=1021%2C660&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Hardball.jpg?fit=1021%2C660&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12822,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/nothing-everything-has-changed\/","url_meta":{"origin":14732,"position":1},"title":"Nothing \/ Everything Has Changed","author":"gunwriter","date":"December 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the last of great old gun writers gave me a gift. I\u2019m not sure why; we are not close. Maybe he was just looking for someone who would appreciate it and knew I would.\u00a0What was it? It was a collection of Gun Digest Annuals from 1952 through 2000\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"FullSizeRender 33","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/FullSizeRender-33-234x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15148,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/target-focus-shooting-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":14732,"position":2},"title":"Target Focus Shooting","author":"gunwriter","date":"October 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Do you understand the concept of target focus shooting? Most people don't. Click HERE to read the full article.","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Def-handgun-trigger-5.jpg?fit=1200%2C928&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Def-handgun-trigger-5.jpg?fit=1200%2C928&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Def-handgun-trigger-5.jpg?fit=1200%2C928&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Def-handgun-trigger-5.jpg?fit=1200%2C928&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Def-handgun-trigger-5.jpg?fit=1200%2C928&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13317,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/shooting-illustrated-the-little-magazine-that-could\/","url_meta":{"origin":14732,"position":3},"title":"Shooting Illustrated – The Little Magazine That Could","author":"gunwriter","date":"May 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2005 a friend introduced me to a displaced cowboy. his name was Dave Campbell and he was the editor of what was at the time, an up and coming NRA publication known as Shooting Illustrated. 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This is of course why we\u2019ve seen so much advancement in sights over the years, and why aftermarket sights have become so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/XT-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C605&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/XT-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C605&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/XT-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C605&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/XT-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C605&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13482,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/lever-action-maximization\/","url_meta":{"origin":14732,"position":5},"title":"Lever Action Maximization","author":"gunwriter","date":"June 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"A lever-action rifle makes for a fine general purpose, hunting, or defensive firearm. There are also some accessories you can attach to make it even better. Maybe one of the most important is ammunition. After all, the only thing hunters carry to the timber, that actually comes into contact with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"LRVER-1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/LRVER-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/LRVER-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/LRVER-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/LRVER-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14732"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14740,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14732\/revisions\/14740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}